Judge Demands Social Media Sites Prove They Didn’t Help Radicalize Mass Shooter
20th March 2024
Some of the largest social media platforms in the world will soon try to convince a US court their platforms did not contribute to the radicalization of a mass shooter who killed ten people and injured three more in a New York grocery store in 2022.
Depending on the outcome, the case could reshape liability rules for social media sites.
In a court order published on Tuesday, New York 8th district Supreme Court justice Paula Feroleto denied a dismissal request from Meta, Reddit, Twitch’s company Amazon, YouTube owner Alphabet, plus Discord and 4Chan. They all need to go to court to argue their case.
“Many of the social media/internet defendants have attempted to establish that their platforms are mere message boards,” Feroleto wrote.
“This may ultimately prove true,” the judge noted. However, “the Court has determined the complaint sufficiently pleads viable causes of action to go forward at this stage of the litigation,” she added.
And they have to prove that they love Big Brother.